The present invention relates to a sticking apparatus, and more particularly to a film sticking apparatus for adhering film to the film sticking surface of a panel so that the film is set in a position corresponding to the width of the panel.
When a continuous stratified film roll is to be fitted to a film supply roller in a conventional sticking apparatus, film roller securing members are fixedly fitted to the continuous stratified film roll at both the ends thereof and the film supply roller is then set in the body of the apparatus. In preparation for sticking a continuous stratified film for the first time, the leading edge portion of the film is pulled out from the continuous stratified film roll and held on a film feed member (which is a main vacuum suction plate) by suction in such a manner that the film is free of wrinkles. In that case, the center of the width of the continuous stratified film is positioned coincident with the width of the film feed member. The positioning is performed by altering the positional relationship between the film supply roller and the continuous stratified film roll. A panel conveyed by a conveyor is adhered to the continuous stratified film under heat and pressure while a constant tensile force is applied to the film. An apparatus was disclosed in the Japanese Patent Applications (OPI) Nos. 124920/87 and 117487/88 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined published application").
The above-mentioned conventional sticking apparatus has problems in that it is time-consuming to position the center of the width of an upper an a lower continuous stratified films coincident with the width of the corresponding one of an upper and a lower film feed members, it is very difficult to precisely perform that positioning, and the operating person of the apparatus is forced to perform the positioning while assuming an uncomfortable posture. The above-mentioned apparatus also has problems in that the film supply roller is heave and complicated in structure, and the film supply rollers are too expensive so as to allow the user of the apparatus to keep extras on hand to enhance the production efficiency thereof. When the film is being adhered to the panel, a constant force is applied to a film supply roller holding shaft, regardless of the width and winding diameter of the continuous stratified film. For that reason, the tension of the film being adhered to the panel changes as the width and/or winding diameter of the film changes. This results in wrinkling of the stuck film and/or the formation of an air bubble between the film and the panel.